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Gena LukeProfessor RaymondUWRT 110117 July 2015The Life and Legacy of Bonnie ConeStudents knew Bonnie Cone as a powerful female figure and motivator all acrossthe nation. Bonnie inspired thousands of students through vigorous speeches andactivities with her hands-on approach to education. Bonnies message was that studentsshould never give up on an education no matter the circumstance; several of thesebusinessmen that Bonnie took under her wing are currently known as Bonnies Boys.(About Bonnie) The major inspirational figure known as Bonnie Cone made severalpositive contributions to society. As a child Bonnie knew that she wanted to be a teacher.Bonnie Cone was raised on a farm in Lodge, South Carolina, a small town ofabout 200 people. She was the youngest child of four. Her father Charles Cone was afarmer and businessman who instilled the morals and values of hard work within her.(About Bonnie) An interesting fact about Bonnie was the fact that on her farm as a child,she used to play teacher by simulating teaching baby chickens during her spare time.Reflecting back on that memory she says I taught every little animal around in thosefantastic years (About Bonnie). This in essence aided in her leadership skills and got herused to teaching to an actual audience. Another one of Bonnies hobbies was playing thepiano. Bonnie was taught how to play by her neighbor, which became one her primarytalents that eventually transitioned into her assuming a leading role in the piano class. Letus now transition into the later years of Bonnies life, into the education aspect.

Luke 2Bonnie Cone attended the prestigious Duke University located in Durham, NorthCarolina and Cooker College. (Knowles) After receiving her undergraduate degree, Coneused Duke as a stepping-stone into furthering her education and receiving her mastersdegree in mathematics in 1941. (Knowles) In addition to her scholarly contributionswithin the classroom, her excellence was commonly recognized. For example herexceptional math skills resulted in the mathematics chairman at Duke to personally inviteher to teach the navy V-12 program during World War II. (Knowles) Furthermore, withthe support and financing of some of her friends and colleagues that she acquired throughschool, Ms. Cone was able to convert the Charlotte Center into what became formallyknown as Charlotte College.Charlotte College though seemed to be a great contribution to society, eventuallybecame a burden due to financial constraints and lack of elite support. (Knowles)Knowles furthers this statement by adding:There was never enough money to assure Charlotte College's permanence. Everytime a major crisis arose, Ms. Cone, with her amazing ability to make small giftsseem large, would find a benefactor willing to rescue the Institution. In 1954,when the outlook for Charlotte College seemed especially bleak, she led acampaign in which city voters approved a two-cent property tax to support theInstitution. (Knowles 2)Bonnie Cone was a woman of great excellence who strived to accommodate the needs ofothers through her various leadership characteristics. After being accepted as a memberinto the North Carolina Community College System, this required its own Board ofTrustees as well as the support of State Officials to ensure the survival of the educational

Luke 3institution. After receiving the necessary financial support to sustain the alreadystruggling institution, Cone finally managed to ensure its success. Cone made severalpolitical contributions as well as provide insight as to what it is to be a female whoeventually worked to attain her lifelong dreams. Although there were obstacles that Coneencountered, such as the inability to properly finance the institution or the traveling fromChapel Hill to Raleigh to consistently battle with State Officials, Cone found a way toestablish this great University.In conclusion, after researching the many great things Bonnie Cone was able toachieve, what a recent survey conducted by freshman UNC Charlotte students revealedturned out to be quite shocking. Over seventy percent of the surveyed students turned outto be uneducated about Bonnie. When asked, if they knew the whereabouts as to theburial and gravesite of Bonnie Cone, they were incorrect and failed to acknowledge thefact that her body was buried on the very campus in which they attend school. Anotherquestion that stumped the constituents of the survey was weather or not Bonnie was thefounder of the institution; numerous students within the survey answered incorrectly.